Where is Home?
by AnastasiaARitter
Summary: (Ww2 human au) Arthur is a 12 year old lad and one of the many children evacuees going to a foster family in America. He misses his home right away hating the country life with the southerners (and the obnoxious rowdy boy Alfred), but he has a lot to know about what home is. (Usuk later on) I do not own hetalia and am looking currently for a cover pic.
1. Chapter 1

The lush green and gold scenery seem to move past at a steady pace, yet when he focused on an object in a distance it seemed to pass his field of vision in seconds.

How he hated coming to America.

He hated how he had to come here because he couldn't stay home, he hated how his parents CHOSE to send him here. He felt so betrayed. He felt so alone.

He let out a shaky breath his grip on the seat tightening. He scowled his lip pursed into a thin line. No he did not like this hell at all.

He bit the inside of his cheek peering out the window again seeing the station coming into view, that meant he was about to meet his 'foster family' whom he doesn't know a thing about. For all he knows the bloody family could be abusive! Cruel, merciless, they couldn't care less about him and he would only be their burden.

It was absolutely degrading. One moment he was happy at home and going to school the *wham!* He's packed up with a gas mask, shoes, and other necessities shipped off to bloody America! The only from his damn parents were a blasted 'we're sorry we sent you to a foreign country see you afterwards love you!' Letter. Fucking lovely!

He was torn from his thoughts when the train Screeched to a halt leaving his heart racing and ears throbbing.

Fumbling with the seat belt he unbuckled it and grabbed his single suitcase. He walked down the Isle seeing the few people who were still gathered at their seats. With a sigh he stepped out feeling the blazing sun's heat instantly.

He then began to ponder again. How would his foster family find him now sure he had a label but…? Was he to wait for them? Maybe they we're not here, maybe they decided not to bother, maybe-

Maybe there was a woman and two boys holding a sign that said:

"Arthur Kirkland"

He flushed slightly feeling rather stupid for worrying over such miniscule thing. He slowly made his way through the crowd making his way over to the group, he presented himself with a simple 'hullo'.

"Howdy! So ya'll are Arthur then?" The woman asked her eyes drawn to the tag pinned on his jacket. Arthur immediately noticed the southern drawl. Wonderful he had to live with savages.

He nodded, "It's quite nice to meet you um-"

"Amelia Jones" The woman's smooth southern sorta… airy voice spoke. She seemed to have tried to present herself along with her family, sporting a pink and white laced dress. He looked up to see her piercing blue eyes, that stood out with her wheat coloured hair that seemed to curl and went to her jaw framing it.

"It's nice to meet you" he said nodding respectfully.

"My my so polite" Mss. Jones complimented chuckling a smile beaming on her face. "Now then these are my sons I'm happy to know ya'll are close to the same age! Why don't Y'all introduce yer'selves" She said pushing the two brothers closer they wore similar dress clothes and faces.

"Oh well um, my name is M-Mathew. It's nice to meet you Arthur" the one boy said quietly shuffling his feet. Arthur barley saw his face from the longer locks falling in it as he kept his head down, he peered and noticed the deep blue, almost violet coloured eyes glancing shyly behind the wavy strands in his face.

"Tsk always gotta shy away huh boy?" Mathew blushed at his mother's amused comment.

"Yeah bro don't be like that! Anyway names Alfred and your names arthur? that's a cool name! It's real nice tah meetcha!" He burst out of nowhere grabbing his hand shaking it. The brit flinched at the sudden loud booming voice and physical contact scowling, must he be so loud? His completion resembled his brothers. The similar coloured hair only shorter that and very unkept with a cow lick, he had a boisterous look in his baby blue eyes that matched his wide grin similar to his mums.

"Ah- yes very nice to meet you two Alfred, Mathew" he said feeling slightly overwhelmed.

"Now that we got the greetins out of the way, we should prolly get on home. Arthur looks like he's a-might ready to fall asleep right here!" The blonde woman laughed picking up the lads suitcase.

Arthur blushed when she said that, the two boys snickered slightly and arthur promptly glared at them.

"Now now no more lolygagging let's get goin I should get supper started and a bed made for our guest" she chided softly giving them a look the British boy couldn't read. He huffed following them down the paved dirt road to a beat up old worn ford truck.

"You have a Lorry? I haven't seen one of these before" he said curling his lip at the mud stains.

"A huh? You mean the truck right? You british people have darn strange words Fer things" The ruder blonde spoke bluntly causing Arthur's large eyebrows to twitch giving the dumbfounded boy a spectacul to see.

"Alfred!" Jones snapped giving him a swift smack upside his head, "dontcha go 'round bein rude to our guests! I bet we all sound just as different to him as you think he sounds to yah"

She sure hit the nail on the head with that. The accent seemed so foreign and unnatural warping the words he knew so well into words unrecognizable, not to mention the strange dialect for different things.

"Sorry ma"

"Don't apologize tah me" Alfred looked down sheepishly before looking at him.

"Sorry Arthur"

"It's quite alright"

'As if' Arthur thought. He already started hating the other boy he was going to live with. He was loud, idiotic, and not to mention rude.

He sighed as he watched them all pile into the pick up slowly sliding in with them.

"Sorry about him eh?" A soft voice spoke next to him when he buckled in. He jumped letting out a short yelp of surprise.

"Bullocks when did you get here?" He gasped.

"Ha!" Alfred laughed as though it was the funniest thing in the world.

The violet eyed boy sighed and punched his brother in the arm.

"idiot de frère" he muttered.

Arthur looked out the window feeling the heat more intense now that he was crammed in the small space. He looked out the window seeing the trees and fields pass by missing the sight of the gray brick houses he used to see. He missed the cool rainy weather he played in, he missed being home…

"Hey Mattie why guess what?"

"What?"

"I was right! You are invisible even to the British!"

"Shut up Al"

"Boys enough fightin!" Jones scolded. Arthur sighed enjoying the quiet of the lorry. Well until…

He flinched feeling Mathew shoved against him.

"Moom! Alfred shoved me"

"Did not!"

"Now ya'll behave yah hear!"

'Oh blimey I'm not going to last a day here'


	2. Chapter 2

Week 1

It was a peaceful morning, past the Crack of dawn after the Jones household woke up. Arthur hadn't gotten used to the hustle of the early mornings. Feed the chickens, eat 'grub' as the so like to call it, then milk the cows and give the horses their grain do other chores given. Such was the morning routine for the household.

Arthur glowered at the horse 'Beth' Alfred said was it's name. She stared at him and snorted shaking the dust out of it's brown coat giving the boy one more look before turning her back to him and trotting off.

"Damn horse" He muttered.

"Y'all sure cuss a lot Fer a kid Y'er age" Arthur squeaked in surprise whipping his head around a smart remark already prepared.

"Don't talk as though you are older or better than me! I am the one who is older than you" he sneered at alfred whom seemed unfazed.

"I ain't saying I'm older okay? I'm just sayin you're only 12 and ya'll have the mouth of a drunk sailor" he said shrugging, "and by the way ya'll are only older by a few months"

Oh how Arthur loathed the other boy.

"Well you can just kiss my arse" That sentence seemed to make the boy laugh.

"Haha! Y'all skinnies sure are funny with Y'er strange words!" He giggled holding his sides.

Arthur flushed anger flaring in his young green eyes.

"Sh-shut up you damn yank!" That just seemed to fuel the laughter even more. "Ha ha! A-Artie say something else!'

Arthur felt absolutely humiliated cheeks burning with a deep red shade. He grit his teeth having enough ridicule from him, he whipped around storming off.

"Arthur wait I'm just kidding around!"

He shook his head ignoring him and kept walking through the unknown country land….

…..

Arthur trudged down the dirt trail turning around seeing the small farm house on the hill growing further and further away. He scowled shaking his head.

"Good riddance" he muttered. He kept walking down feeling the temperature increase by the minute, sweat was already beginning to collect by his brow and the back of his neck.

He stumbled through the unknown terrain finding himself rather lost and uncertain. Where was he supposed to go? He didn't exactly have a plan of action to go anywhere, hell he doesn't even know where he was!

He stopped walking to wonder what he was going to do now. He couldn't really just wander around now could he? He looked up seeing the sun nearing to the centre of the sky telling him it was almost noon telling him he was walking for a while now.

"Hey you!" A boyish voice called from behind him.

"Damn it Alfred…" he muttered turning his head to see instead four boys walking over to him, the American was clearly not with the group.

He sighed. "Yes? Can I help you?" He asked

The boys immediately noticed the accent and snickered "Y'all sound funny!" One spoke.

'Oh great' the thought 'more ridicule on my accent bloody wonderful!'

"Oh well at least I don't sound like an illiterate ruffian!" He retorted folding his arms crossed over his chest.

"What didja say again?" The same boy asked his beady brown eyes narrowing his face scrunching into a frown.

"You heard me wanker" he spat "Why don't you just Piss off!" Arthur was getting tired of their presence.

"You got some balls to talk tah me that way" he said his mouth twisting into a smile. Arthur shivered, this was not the smile he saw alfred get when he insulted him. The kind of smile that was friendly and amused with him getting pissed off, no this one was dark and twisted that said 'I'm planning something to do to you'.

Before he could react a fist connected with his jaw and his eyes widened and a strangled cry of pain escaped him.

"Haha! Y'all ain't from around here are yah?" He snickered kicking him down to the sandy ground while the other three laughed at his misery.

"Fucking arse!"

One of the other boys with reddish hair piped up "Oh! I think he's one of them skinnies from err what's it called. It's that stupid little island"

"England you git!" Arthur snarled feeling horribly insulted these boys were much worse than Alfred's playful teasings.

The brown eyed boy kicked him again in the ribs gaining a moan of pain. "Shut Y'er mouth!"

Tears pooled in his green irises sliding down his now dusty face. He never felt so hurt, not to mention humiliated in his entire life.

"Ha look at him he's crying!" One of the others noticed guffawing at his pitiful expression of pain.

"Yeah" the brown eyed boy agreed lifting him by the front of his shirt "this'll teach yah not tah talk back yah damn skinnie bastard" he said with a triumphant look.

"Ha you know what we should d-!"

"Arthuuur!" A feminine voice hollered in the distance.

"Aaartieeee!" A second more boyish louder voice called.

'Oh blimey I never thought I would be so relieved to hear those two!' He thought in his head relieved.

The boys who now had their heads turned were processing who they were calling to, then turning back to him with a look of stricken horror.

"Oh hell it's Miss Jones!" One croaked.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Another said fearfully.

"Hey! Jonny, Will, George, Luke! Whatcha think Y'er doin over there!" And just like that all four of them bolted dropped the poor 12 year old who let out an 'oof!'.

"Artie!" Alfred cried running over with his mother trailing behind him.

His blue eyes filled with worry as he helped the British boy up, gently Arthur noticed as well. "Arthur are ya'll alright?" He asked fretting over him.

"Does it look like I'm alright?!" He snapped flinching when his side throbbed in pain. He secretly felt happier to see an apologetic look instead of an angry one from his sharp comment.

"Oh god Arthur Y'er nose is bleedin! Oh what did those boys do to you?!" Miss Jones cried in horror when she got closer to the boy getting down on her knees getting her blue dress dirty. She cupped his face looking him over, the boy was surprised at the kindness, affection, and worry the woman showed ton him making his blush.

"Y-you don't need to fret over me nothing I cannot handle" he said feeling uncomfortable with all the attention given just for him.

Jones just laughed shaking her head. "Naw every child deserves tah be coddled and that includes you" she spoke sweetly smiling wiping his tear stain cheeks. "Now come on let's get yah home" She said lifting him up bridal style with ease making Arthur blush and protest saying he could walk just fine.

Just bloody wonderful...

…..

"Ow! Ow!" He hissed his face scrunched up in pain.

"I still have not gotten an apology Alfred!"

"Alright alright I'm amight sorry Fer Makin fun of you! I promise never tah do it again just stop!" He gasped. Arthur nodded satisfied released Alfred's ear with a smirk while Mathew giggled quietly.

"It's not funny Mattie!" Alfred pouted.

"Yes it is" He whispered.

"But really though Arthur I'm amight sorry you had to get beat up cause' of me" Alfred said solemnly gazing at him with guilt in his eyes.

Arthur carefully touched his bruising cheek that still faintly throbbed involuntarily, shrugging. "It's not that big of a deal" he said.

Alfred pouted stomping his foot on the ground "of course it's ah big deal! I mean they all had no right tah go and beat yah up like that! S' not cool!" He stated crossing his arms.

Arthur snorted and laughed at his childish behavior. Sometimes that American was too much.

"What's so funny huh?" Alfred asked scowling.

"It's just funny how immature your acting right now" he giggled while Alfred whined denying it.

"Hey boys time tah go tah bed now yah hear? Y'all got school tomorrow" Miss Jones told them. Alfred let out an exasperated sigh complaining about how he didn't need to go to school and such.

"-nd You're going tomorrow! No if's, and's, or but's about it" she told her son shooing all of them to the upstairs bedroom.

Arthur rolled his eyes when Alfred continued to whine and complain.

"Geez always breathing down my neck... Arthur are your parents like that too?" He asked trudging into the attic space with the bunk beds.

"Well yes and no" he said pursing his lips while quickly declothing himself and slipping on the pajamas.

"Waddyah mean?" He asked cocking his head to the side in confusion.

"Well my parents are usually strict on me going to school and such, but other than that they don't exactly care about what I do" He said shrugging.

"That sounds amazing artie your parents sound pretty cool!" Alfred said in awe while his brother rolled his violet eyes muttering under his breath.

"Not really. Also please don't call me Artie, Arthur would be fine" he said knowing the git probably wasn't listening.

"Uh-huh artie that would be amazing to do whatever you want though huh?" He said jumping onto the bottom bunk.

"Yeah but I never get to see my parents all that often… I mean I'm fine with doing my own business, but I do miss seeing my parents"

'Okay well that's a lie I couldn't care less if they fell in a pit of lava' he thought sliding into the twin bed that was moved up there.

"Gosh that must not he too good" he said quickly changing his mind nodding before looking up and smiling at him. "Well Artie yah got us now and we'll always be there Fer yah!"

Arthur blinked before looking down blushing."S-stupid git" Sometimes that strange boys smile was too much for him.

Alfred just laughed his blue eyes glimmering with amusement.

Arthur just seemed to have forgotten for the rest of the night about the cuts and bruises on his face and chest


	3. Chapter 3

**Holy crap I did a shit ton of research for this story! I looked up to see the ww2 history and facts, I also anticipated the ages for them and the year arthur stays which is around 1939 (near the beginning of the school year). So I wanted him to be at a fairly young age(12 almost 13) for a lad leaving to america (and wanted them to be close of age) I have Aldo chosen for them to live in Louisiana. I also did research on length children usually stayed, I even read different stories of evacuees! Anyhow I also researched the nicknames Americans called them (skinnies). I do hope you enjoy or have enjoyed the story so far I put alot of effort.**

 **Lol I even looked up if children rode busses in the 30's!**

 **Anyhow I leave you to enjoy! (Still in search for a cover!)**

Week 2 September, 1939

School. A dreadful place where there lived a social hierarchy. the aristocratic or perhaps most manipulative are on top, then we have our middle class our mindless sheep who follow the shepards, then the poor lower class whom scrape and crawl to get at the top or are rejects who have accepted their fate.

His parents had wealth, ha they had as much wealth as a person who lived in a manner could get. He had much put away for him for the futer, he had all his wants and needs easily given to him, had to hardly lift a finger and none the less intelligent. Yet, he only had the taste of popularity the others falling at his feet at his beck and call for he chose his fate when he told them. Oh and when he did he had lost the respect of his peers, and gained only mockery and rejection even the lowest of the boys at his school turned their noses to him. His parents only ignored him more as though disowning him, his brothers snickered and sneered with everyone...

He could still hear their relentless words.

"Have a nice day ' _Nancy_!"

"Hey look it's the queer"

Even the teachers and other adults whispered words of pity and disgust.

"The poor Kirkland's having to face the ridicule because of their son..."

"I'm surprised they haven't sent him to the loony house"

As well through the night he could hear the argument of his parents shame.

"Godamn it! It's your bloody fault he's a sodding pansy!"

"I didn't ask for him to turn out this way!"

Yes rejection was cruel but he chose his this, he couldn't turn back now he couldn't let them get to him he couldn't deny his attraction to the same gender in Eengland. Yet he was in America now a foreign place where no one knew his history, he now presented himself with a clean slate... The decision of what to do with it was proving difficult for the poor 12 and a half year old, should he come out in this new place like he had two years ago? Should he keep quiet? Shou-

"Hey Artie stop ya'll look like you were day dreamin!"

Arthur's lip curled "it's Arthur"

"Sorry!"

'Agh that damn voice!' Arthur thought flinching at the loud slight voice cracking yell from the southerner.

"Alfred hun what did ah say bout yellin?" Miss Jones chastised with a slightly amused smile.

"Yes ma" He said with a pout, but he soon had that energetic look to his face again.

"You excited fer school artie?" He asked bouncing up and down on his chair. Arthur just sighed rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Oh yes I can hardly contain my excitement" he spoke sarcastically, but Alfred just seemed to ignore the tone.

"That's great! I know you'll like our school! It's fantastic!" He said smiling as he kept on babbling his excitement, while arthur just sighed trying to ignore him. Sometimes he wondered how poor Mathew could stand him...

"You get used to it" a voice whispered next to him making him jolt. He whipped his head to the side to see the twin that always seemed to disappear on him.

"Oh! Ah well erm... I just can't stand it sometimes he just seems to go on and on" he muttered before biting into the toast.

Mathew just chuckled amusement "Hey try living with him from birth" he returned.

Quickly after breakfast was finished the three boys walked out heading to the elementary school miss Jones waving goodbye.

"So how far away is the school again? How long will it take to walk?" He asked shifting his bag of books on his shoulder.

Alfred gave him a perplexed look before laughing "ha ha! We don't walk tah school it would take waaay to long! Y'all are strange yah know? We take the bus. Do ya'll even know what a bus is?"

That question infuriated him "of course I know what a bleeding bus is!"

"That's good anyhow I'm amight glad ma got to let us miss a week of school that was pretty nice of her! I wonder if maybe we could ask to-"

"Al just do us a favour and shut up" Mathew sighed.

"What? Why? Arthur likes me talking! Right Artie?" He said smiling childishly at him as though expecting a 'yes of course!'

"Please Alfred be quiet" He growled. Alfred's smile then fell as his gaze fell to the ground. The rest of the walk was filled with an almost unatural silence. 

"Holy hell" Arthur mumbled getting off the bus instantly staring at the brick building. It was absolutely huge! There were a variety of students of different ages and not to mention heights all hanging around outside the building.

"Ah know it's pretty cool right?" Alfred said when he appeared to gain his voice back "I bet it's much cooler than Y'er school back in Britain" he said smugly hopping off the bus.

Green eyes glowered at him with a snarky 'hardly'.

"Naw don't be like that!" He said pulling him along completely ignoring his brother who yelled for him repeatedly.

"Let go of me you ruffian!" He snapped swatting him again and again. Eventually he sighed giving up letting him be dragged through the doors and into the endless hallways of the school.

"So this is the main floor where most'a our classes are. Y'all got English, math, history and all that jazz with me and some with Mattie so ya'll don't gotta be alone the whole school day! Isn't that great?!" He said with an over abundance of joy. Arthur hummed in a sort of agreement looking over his schedule.

Bloody wonderful he had half his classes with that bloke... lunch as well...

"Hey Jones! Where yah been? Heard around that ya'll got suspension er somthin!" A boy called from behind Alfred.

Alfred turned offering a wide friendly smile to the boy "Naw jus got a week off cause of the evacuee were takin in"

The raven haired boy scrunched his face in a strange matter before looking at the English boy "You are taking in a ¿Británico? "

"Yep"

"Hello~ I'm right hear you sodding idiots!" Arthur snapped annoyance.

"He sure has a mouth on him huh?" The clearly older Spanish boy said.

"Yep sure does"

"You arse!"

The boy looked him over again before his eyes widened in realization "that's the chico Will told me he beat up that talked back to him!" The raven haired boy gasped his green eyes widening.

"Wow news sure does spread fast huh Antonio?"

'So this is how Mathew must feel... I swear I'll never ignore him again' he thought as the two kept talking. Eventually the Spaniards said his farewell saying he had to get to class leaving the two in the cooridoor with boys and girls walking past.

"Now that you're done I do believe we should get going' he grumbled loosing his patients.

"Oh right! Don't want to be late on your first day huh? Well le-"

*riiiiiiiiiing*

"You sodding git I'm going to kill you!" 

'Lunch. A time where everyone finds their group where they belong to and socialize, also another time to pick on the lower class weaker kids...'

Arthur sighed picking at his food his face twisting into a look of disgust at the the 'entrée'. He lookup to see Alfred having no trouble stuffing his face, while Mathew chewed small bites while reading.

"Disgusting" he muttered. The day had gone smoothly so far no teasing, no taunts, nor a single shove to him though he did get some looks when he was chosen to read in class...

"Well well well if it isn't my old friend" Arthur blinked eyes widening when he heard the familiar deep boyish voice.

"Oh god" He muttered touching his cheek where his bruise was a faint purple and sickeningly yellow colour. He kept picking at his food praying to be ignored.

Nope

His chair was violently turned around his tray crashing to the ground, he looked up seeing the all to familiar brunette with brown beady eyes.

"Don't ignore me" he hissed his face inches away from his, he sucked in a breath faintly smelling smoke from a fag the teen must have smoked.

Arthur then narrowed his eyes into a piercing glare "what the hell do you want now?"

The boy tsked "here I thought I taught you a lesson the first time do you need another?"

"Hey! Leave him alone Johnny! Why don't yah pick on some second graders since yah like beatin younger kids!" Alfred yelled jumping our of his seat ready to defend his friend.

"Make me shorty" he jeered "yah ain't got Y'er mama tah protect Y'er ass now!"

"Ah don't need her" Al retorted with just as much ballsy attitude.

"Al stop" Mathew whispered loudly.

"Yeah why don't yah listen to your pansy of a brother!" He taunted. That did it for Alfred he quickly hopped over the table and hit the teen straight in the nose.

The boy gave a shocked look before twisting his lip into a snarl whamming the southern boy across the face.

"You arse!" Arthur hissed absolutely infuriated that he hit him. Annoying or not Arthur was not letting this brute get away with punching him only he could do that! He kicked the taller boy as hard as he could in the knee the boy instantly let out a howl.

"Fight!"

"Fight"

"Fight!" The children cheered excitedly.

'Christ is every kid in this crazy country psychotic?!'

"ENOUGH!" A loud booming voice echoed through the large dining space making everyone freeze up.

Alfred looked up from the floor a drip of blood sliding down is busted lip a look of pure horror.

Arthur turned his head cautiously to see a man in a suit with slicked back golden hair stomping over with a red face of anger.

"Shit it's Mr. beilschmidt" The brunette muttered woefully looking down. Arthur just gave them a perplexed look.

"He's gonna kill us" Alfred croaked. God the man even scared Alfred!

"Don't worry I'll make sure to put fresh flowers on your grave" Mathew whispered.

"Johnathan! Alfred! You!" He hissed pointing at the trio "Mein office!" He snapped.

The boys continued to sit there frozen with fear.

"NOOOOW!" The man screamed. Arthur swore he felt the room vibrate.

They all shot up walking (more like sprinting) over past the tall angry man who sent them death glares when they passed by. Alfred grabbed the brits wrist pulling him closer whispering in his ear with dead seriousness.

"I'm so sorry for what's about to happen" he spoke. Arthur just gave him puzzled look that alfred just returned with a head shake.

Little would he know the ultimate yelling and punishment would get... From both the principal and Miss Jones. Simply a wonderful way to start his first day of school.

They should put it in the record books.

Yes, School. This school was a dreadful place, with dreadful students, and with an even more dreadful principle...


	4. Chapter 4

**I was thinking of making this rated m later on what do you think?**

October 14

"…and with news of the war. A British Royal Navy Battleship ,name Royal Oak, was sunk today by a U-47 predicted lives lost is to be 833…"

Arthur sighed listening to the radio buzzing the news subconsciously stabbing his eggs. Alfred just seemed to ignore the man speaking, as he was too busy chatted away to his brother about how cold it was starting to get, and that he couldn't play baseball anymore. Miss Jones was slowly picking and eating het food shaking her head at the news with a sigh.

Arthur gave her a peculiar look remembering the after school fight yelling they got.

… _._

 _"What were yah two thinkin?! Alfred ya'll can't just start picking damn fights!" Her high pitched voice screamed making the once bright cheerful boy cower at her "and Arthur I expected better from yah! Godamn it you just can't just get in trouble the first day of school! I Don't know how ya'll were raised before but it's different here you understand?!" Arthur looked up at her muting her out. He wondered vaguely why Alfred was so afraid of the woman, he was only being yelled at and he's acting like he's being beat. He sighed and continued to ignore her as she kept yelling at him and Al._

 _"rstand?...Arthur!" He blinked being pulled back out from his thoughts._

 _"Yes?" He asked meeting her furious blue eyes._

 _"Do you understand me boy?" She asked placing a hand on her hip looming over him._

 _"Yes ma'am" he spoke unintimidated by her._

 _"Good" She said nodding. She looked at the two of them again before speaking. "Now I expect you two tah be behaved so no more picking fights. Alfred yah can go now to yer room now, Arthur please stay here"_

 _Alfred blinked giving her a quizzical look that the woman returned with a 'don't defy me boy' stare. He then scurried upstairs it reminded the brit of a scared dog with ears down and a tail between his legs._

 _"Arthur" he looked up at her with unblinking eyes wondering for a moment if she was going to punish him more"I'm sorry Fer yellin but ya'll gotta understand that somethings ain't allowed" he pursed his lips confused._

 _"Yes I understand" He spoke compulsively "I'm sorry for my disrespectful behavior ma'am" She furrowed a brow._

 _"Y'all don't need to call me ma'am son"_

 _"Sorry" he said automatically still holding his blank gaze, the older woman pursed her lips at his dazed look._

 _"Arthur" she said grabbing his shoulder "arthur look at me"_

 _Green eyes raised up to blue ones._

 _"I want tah know if we are on the same page. Are we?" she said sternly._

 _"I- I don't know" he stuttered looking away from her gaze no longer being able to meet her gaze for some strange reason._

 _"Look son. I just don't want ya'll thinking I don't care but ah do" she spoke lacking the stern tone she had before "you don't need to feel like you are a stranger here alright? I just want to let ya'll know we're here Fer yah. If anything is wrong I need you to know you can come to us alright?"_

 _He nodded slowly "Alright"_

 _"Good now off upstairs with yah kay?" She said with a smile ruffling his hair._

…

He sighed grumbling under his breath continuing to stab his breakfast some more before taking a few bites.

'What a peculiar woman…'

After breakfast the three washed their dishes and went outside- well more like Alfred running outside and everyone else following him, either way same thing.

Arthur took his book ,he brought during his ship out here, with him outside shivering slightly at the cool autumn breeze. He watched the two brothers chase each other around the yard that was turning a golden colour. They called to him asking to join in a game of base ball, but he shook his head no and they shrugged and played without him. He just walked over to the barn instead.

It was a rather… spacious place, he would dare say it was bigger than the house he was staying in. The dairy cow was resting in one of the stalls staring at him, the horse was nowhere to be seen telling him it was probably let out, the two goats peeked over the wooden post and let out a few bleating cries, and the hens cocked their heads down at them from the rafters. He always wondered how they managed to get up there.

He walked across the hard dirt floor to the ladder leading up, he slowly climbed up to the loft area making his way around the barrels of hay before sitting down to an adequate place where he could be left to read in silence.

He opened the book being careful as not to bend the old pages before reading.

 _HERMIA. NOW I BUT CHIDE; BUT I SHOULD USE THEE WORSE,_  
 _IF THOU HAST SLAIN LYSANDER IN HIS SLEEP,_  
 _BEING O'ER SHOES IN BLOOD, PLUNGE IN THE DEEP,_  
 _AND KILL ME TOO._

He started to read the act then heard loud shouts and laughs come from outside disturbing him, he sighed shaking his head before continuing.

 _THE SUN WAS NOT SO TRUE UNTO THE DAY_  
 _AS HE TO ME: WOULD HE HAVE STOLEN AWAY_  
 _FROM SLEEPING HERMIA? I'LL BELIEVE AS SOON_  
 _THIS WHOLE EARTH MAY BE BORED AND THAT THE MOON_  
 _MAY THROUGH THE CENTRE CREEP AND SO DISPLEASE_  
 _HER BROTHER'S NOONTIDE WITH ANTIPODES._

He gripped his book feeling rather alone while the two brothers played. Here he was sitting trying to avoid the two boys whom he was going to be living with for god knows how long! In a place where he felt like a damn burden! Who the hell even were these people?!

"you don't need to feel like you are a stranger here alright? I just want to let ya'll know we're here Fer yah"

He paused remembering what the woman told him a couple weeks ago. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Of course he was a stranger here, he didn't know a thing about them and yet-yet!

And yet. There they are taking care of him, feeding him, punching bullies in the face for him, telling him right after they yelled at him thar they cared.

God how long has it been since he heard that someone cared about him? It had been so long since his own parents ever spoke those words, especially to him. He focused back down at the page he was reading noticing dark spots start to appear on it. He wiped his eyes feeling wetness when he touched his face.

He sniffed trying to hold back a a sob. He kept on wiping his eyes but the salty tears kept falling, he never felt so pathetic. He continued trying to stop his crying only to sob even more feeling so… empty? No… Alone? Yes he felt alone. He wished he hadn't hid up here, he wished he said yes to the invitation to play the game the two were playing. Now it was too late.

"Did yah read somthin sad?" Arthur stiffened but did not dare to look up. He sucked in a breath through his teeth and kept staring at the wooden floor watching a pair a feet walking closer.

"What's the matter Arthur?" He asked.

"Nothing" he spoke no bothering to feel angry at the lad.

"Don't lie Artie" he heard him say with a serious tone "yah know ah don't like tah see yah sad" he felt a pair of hands touch his face and make him look up into a pair of sky blue eyes.

"Please"

The brit felt his face heat up and his heart pound wildly, he suddenly felt himself cave under the pleading look.

"I- I don't understand" he whispered "Why do you bother caring about someone like me? I mean I've been a sodding arse to you and you still tread me so nicely, why?"

Alfred smiled softly, it looked so similar to his mother's. "I like yah that's why!" He said unashamed. "I've always liked yah! I understand that being here must be amight tough fer yah, and ah care if yer feelin upset or homesick"

"I don't feel homesick Alfred I don't even like my home" he states as a matter of fact.

"Oh… Well then let us be yer home! Cause we care alot about yah!"

"Wot? That makes no bloody sense! A home is just a bloody place where you live idiot!"

"Nuh-uh. Home can be anywhere as long as I'm with the people I love" Alfred said "If I were on the streets cold, hungry, and penniless I wouldn't mind as long as I had the people I still cherished with me"

Arthur's eyes widened at the words coming from the twelve year old. Sometimes he was wiser than he let on.

"Look Arthur what I'm tryin to get at is I like yah and no matter what I'll always like yah. If yah were stranded in an island I'd come swoop in 'n rescue yah! If ole Johnny comes and tries anything I'll be there in the blink of an eye tah kick his ass for yah kay?" He said with a wink. Arthur couldn't help but laugh at this.

"Yah know somethin Artie?" He asked helping the boy stand up.

"What?"

"Yah look much better with a smile than a frown!" He laughed making the other blush furiously.

"Shut up yah damn yank!"

"Come on let's ask ma if we can have that one dish with the fish and fries yah like fer lunch!" He said tugging him to the latter.

"What? You mean the fish and chips?"

"Yeah that!" He said. Arthur shook his head smiling muttering 'git' under his breath, completely forgetting his book he left on the hay…


End file.
